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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28288731">As We Grow Stronger</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/VulgarMercury/pseuds/VulgarMercury'>VulgarMercury</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Enemies to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Intimate Partner Violence, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mention of Suicide Attempt, Porn with Feelings, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recovery, Strangulation, Therapy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:47:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,765</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28288731</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/VulgarMercury/pseuds/VulgarMercury</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sirius and Severus are about to embark on a new chapter in their lives together. Severus is nervous and Sirius tries to comfort him. Their late night musings causes Sirius to reflect on all the challenges they had to overcome to get to where they are today. </p><p>Mind the tags, nothing too graphic.</p><p>This is a gift for our Snirius server exchange.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sirius Black/Severus Snape</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>BlackPrince Secret Santa Gift Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>As We Grow Stronger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/JuniperLee/gifts">JuniperLee</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Wrote this as part of the Snirius server secret santa exchange! Thank you Juniperlee for hosting this event, I hope you enjoy your gift and it's along the lines of what you wanted! </p><p>Thank you jalapenoeyepopper for beta-reading. </p><p>Tried to fuck around with tenses, hope you all enjoy.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Sirius stirs from his sleep by a sudden jerk of the mattress. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He must be awake again, </span>
  </em>
  <span>the thought visits him nearly every night and more often than not he is correct. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man lying beside him makes an earnest attempt to get comfortable. Although Sirius already knows it’s pointless. He can feel the heat radiating from his husband’s restless body, he finds it comforting even though it’s probably from stress. For years now, Severus would awaken at 3 am without fail. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sometimes from nightmares. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius knows exactly what that is like. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Other times, it was from worrying about things. Many things and nothing all at once. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That</span>
  </em>
  <span> Sirius never quite understood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He feels sorry for Severus. The endless barrage of intrusive thoughts are so fierce at times that sleep for more than a few hours was futile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius hears the heavy sigh behind him. Severus is getting irritated with himself now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cracks his eyes open as he realizes that it was going to be one of </span>
  <em>
    <span>those</span>
  </em>
  <span> nights. Sirius could always tell. He turns around slowly, stretching out his limbs in the process until he’s wrapped himself around Severus’ stiff body like an octopus. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Awake are we?” he croaks in his most seductive sleepy voice.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus simply hums in affirmation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius lets out a yawn. He squeezes into the side of Severus’ body. Severus turns towards him, pulling Sirius into a tight embrace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His arms feel so warm and cozy around his body. Sirius rubs his face into the silken fabric of Severus’ nightshirt and lets out a happy little sigh.    </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” Severus whispers. It makes Sirius’ heart flutter. He never gets sick of hearing those words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I love you,” he replies, the smile wide on his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus pulls back a bit and then he presses his lips against Sirius’ forehead. They are still for a few moments in this position. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It is amazing to think they’ve gotten this far. To think they were capable of this level of intimacy. That </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sirius</span>
  </em>
  <span> was capable of loving someone, someone who he had hated and hurt for so long. He can't believe it sometimes. And now, they are well on their way to starting an incredible new journey together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this about the baby?” Sirius asks, breaking the tender moment. Snape ends his kiss with an exhale. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m,” he pauses trying to collect his thoughts, “I’m just worried-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am too,” Sirius tries to assure him. It was perfectly natural to feel a bit of worry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if...we aren’t fit?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius lets out a chuckle. Of course, they aren’t fit! They are both broken, worn down old men who had done very awful things. But NO -no, that isn’t it. They are fully fit, </span>
  <em>
    <span>fully capable</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  They’re just nervous, afraid that demons of the past would continue to plague them and cause them to harm those they love. But they have done the work, so much work to be different. To be better. And really was it possible for </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone</span>
  </em>
  <span> to feel fit for the kind of commitment they were on the verge of making? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are, dear. I -we’ve come such a long way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tension of Severus’ muscles relax just a fraction as he melts into Sirius’ embrace.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sirius was on his back. This wasn’t the first time he’d found himself here. Laying underneath Snape, his legs wrapped around his thin waist. The bastard was pounding into his arse with a level of ferocity he’d never expected from the brooding figure. But when they were together like this, Merlin, how Snape would lose himself. He lost all sense of that tight-arsed composure. He was a fucking animal and now Sirius was being fucked like an animal too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grunting, sweating, whimpering. </span>
  <em>
    <span>God, are those tears in my eyes?</span>
  </em>
  <span> The pleasure ran through his whole body every single time he’d feel that fat prick rub against his sweet spot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harder, you fucking piece of shit,” he’d say, his hands lost in that ink-black hair, pulling at him. Sirius would buck up into every thrust. </span>
  <em>
    <span>FUCK</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He wanted more. He wanted to be closer. He needed their bodies to be merged together. He wanted to get absolutely wrecked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then when Sirius felt he was close, he’d move his hands to Snape’s arse. Digging his fingers in tight and trying to push Snape in deeper although he was as deep as he could humanly get. Sirius would shout out in pleasure, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t stop! Harder! FUCK, please, please, please! </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Snape, invigorated by his chants, somehow fucked him even harder and even faster. He was ruthless as he rammed into Sirius until he was absolutely incoherent. Until he was cumming hard, harder than he had the last time. Every time was just so much more intense than the last. He’d cry out </span>
  <em>
    <span>Severus</span>
  </em>
  <span> in the heat of the moment. Snape would go still and let out a strangled groan in return, as he emptied himself deep inside Sirius’ arse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There would be a moment. Snape would go limp. Sirius strung out. And all they would do is lay there and breathe. Their hearts still pounding against their chests in sync with one another. Sweat just covered them, the sticky cum drying up where their bellies met. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius lived for that moment. He felt so close to someone else. They were really alive, it was the only time he felt like that anymore. The only time he really felt connected to someone else. He just couldn’t believe it had to be Snape, of all the fucking people in the world. Why this greasy little git? </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Damn</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought as he felt a tear finally roll down his cheek. Sirius really hated himself at that moment. This is what he had been reduced to. To cope with this fucking war. Shagging up with one of his enemies just to feel alive. He tried to discreetly wipe his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, get your scrawny arse off of me. I’m done,” Sirius barked, now that he’d returned to his senses. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snape pulled away, a grimace on his face, “Which is it, Black? One moment you’re begging me to fuck you, the next you’re telling me to go. I’m getting sick of your games.” Snape’s tone was neutral as he moved around grabbing a hold of his clothes and putting them back on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A bit sensitive tonight, huh? Getting attached, are we?” Sirius mocked, a shit-eating grin forming on his face. Snape glared at him for a moment. He’d obviously hit a nerve, </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He didn’t want the bastard cozying up to him. He wanted him to know that he meant nothing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please. I’m simply stating that the least you can do is thank me for taking such great pity on you,” Snape shot back as he picked up the last piece of his outfit.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius' expression turned dark, he sat up, his fists balling up at his sides, “This must be some kind of joke. The only reason you’re here, Snivy, is so I can get my fucking kicks without feeling bad about using someone. You’re as good to me as a tissue I’ve tossed in the bin after a wank. Don’t fucking forget that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The feeling is entirely mutual, you cockhead,” Snape deadpanned. He covered his body with a heavy black cloak. Retrieving a mask from a deep inner pocket and covering his face with it. They said nothing more as Sirius watched Snape apparate to god knows where. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sirius lets out a soft laugh, breaking the silence between them as they lie in the darkness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s so funny?” Severus inquires. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing...just, ha -thinking about how totally oblivious we were at the start of </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span>. God, we were stupid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius could feel Severus’ chest rumble with a snicker, “Speak for yourself. I knew you couldn’t resist me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah? Is that right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmhm. You couldn’t keep your hands off me. I was there for the taking but all you did was act nasty when the sex was over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius scoffs. “Oh, please, it’s not like you weren’t nasty too!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I was, I was a Death Eater for god’s sake. Out of the two of us -obviously-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oooh- here it comes, the old Death Eater excuse.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snape lets out a hardy laugh, “Had no idea I pulled out the ‘Death Eater card’ enough to name it as such.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you just like to bring that up often -mostly when you’re being self-deprecating-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hadn’t realized.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, now you know.  Wish you’d let that one die.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look who’s talking-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sirius huffs, moving away to take a look at Snape’s shadowy face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m simply commenting on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>fact</span>
  </em>
  <span> that neither of us have passing marks for ‘letting things go’.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s rich, darling. Rich! Thinking you have any authority to dish out marks on that subject,” Sirius pulls in closer again. Burying his face into the nape of Snape’s neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m practically an expert in holding onto things, so yes. I think I have enough insight to recognize this fault in my husband as well,” Snape responds, a smile evident in his voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius bites him playfully on the neck and presses against him even more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus lets out a little groan in response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know what you do to me when you start talking about marks and expertise,” Sirius whispers between kisses on Severus’ neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be perverse,” Severus chokes out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Professor, shouldn’t I be punished for having such low marks?” Sirius purrs into Snape’s ear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I swear to Merlin, I’ll hex you,” Severus warns. Sirius knew he was probably glowing red. This was Sirius’ favorite way of teasing Severus. It had delighted him immensely when he found this little weakness in his husband. Roleplay like this would just throw him into a tizzy, it was honestly the funniest thing about getting to know him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Really</span>
  </em>
  <span> know him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m getting sick of looking at your ugly face, you bastard,” Sirius slurred. His hands firmly gripping Snape’s slender neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had him pinned against the front door. Snape looked like he was having trouble breathing yet there was no fear, no panic behind those eyes. They were just dead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so was Sirius, he’d escaped Azkaban and for what? To end up in another prison! Snape had taken care to replace the Dementors. Sucking from him the very little happiness he had left with every encounter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet, he couldn’t stop, they couldn’t stop. He’d long for Snape’s kiss to drain the lifeforce right out of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snape took hold of his wrist and Sirius loosen his grip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snape gasped in a breath, trying to recover what had been cut off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t the first time...Sirius had strangled him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time he’d been gentle. There had been other times, while they fucked, that Sirius had taken a hold of Snape like this and Snape would just let him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sometimes Sirius thought about it, thought about what would happen if he didn’t let go…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But then he would, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Snape had </span>
  <em>
    <span>their</span>
  </em>
  <span> blood on his hands too, they both deserved to die but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re drunk, Black.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always the perceptive one, Snape. Here to torture me some more? Huh? Not enough that we’ve been fucking after every Order meeting now we gotta spend time together in between?” Sirius complained as he stumbled down the hall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius had pinned Snape the moment he’d come in through the front door. His intoxicated mind had concluded that only an enemy would be showing up unnoticed this late in the evening and he had been absolutely right. Unfortunately, this enemy was also their ‘most valued’ ally against the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dark Lord</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pathetic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here because after yesterday’s little stunt, the headmaster thought it best I begin to pay you visits to ensure your...</span>
  <em>
    <span>safety</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius threw himself against one of the large armchairs in the living area, “Lovely. Now, ol’ Dumbledore is sending you out to do a bit of </span>
  <em>
    <span>risk management</span>
  </em>
  <span>, eh?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re quite the liability.” Snape took a seat opposite to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you plan to do about that?” Sirius asked, he grabbed the half empty glass of whiskey he’d left near his chair and took a swig of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I already told you, keep an eye on you. Pay you visits. Ensure you aren’t wandering around…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just like the good old days. You must be getting hard just thinking about all the different ways you can stalk me, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This truly gives me no pleasure, Black. I can assure you of that,” Snape responded, his voice almost pleading. There was silence as they sized the other up. Sirius felt a bit irritated and Snape...Well, he almost looked concerned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that’s what really set Sirius off. He drank the last bit of his whiskey and threw the glass across the room, it shattered against the wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This stirred his mother’s portrait into a frenzy of expletives. She screeched out her disapproval of him once more and didn’t hold back her feelings about the half-blood who dared to enter their noble house. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Either fuck me or get the fuck out, Snape. I don’t want to see your ugly mug unless I’m getting something out of you,” Sirius stated in a steady and clear voice, low and dangerous. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snape’s expression hardened. He put up no resistance when Sirius walked up to him and pulled him up by his collar. He didn’t say a word when Sirius opened his trousers and pulled out his cock. And he certainly could not resist when Sirius bent over the sofa and told him where to put it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius wanted to feel something, anything. He wanted to feel Snape fill him up. The banshee was none too pleased with him this evening and this was just the way he liked it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He awoke the next morning on his sofa, a blanket covering his body, his arse sore, and his head pounding. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine! Fine,” Sirius chuckles, “I’m just teasing.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what do you want to do then? We can try the deep breathing...Oh! How about some music? What do you want to listen to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus quietly contemplates his options then replies, “No. This is good. Just hold me...please.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius is overcome by the gentle way that Severus makes his request and tightens his grip. He hopes that Severus can feel the warmth of his love. The sensation overwhelming at times, painful almost but it was for him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He settles back into a comfortable and easy embrace, his hand rubbing circles on Severus’ back in a soothing way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Given our history,” Severus begins, “it’s just that-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, I know. I get it.” And he did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why -why are we even doing this?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius had asked himself the same thing for a while now. The process was a long and arduous one. Imagine two men, adopting a child...The times were different and it wasn’t so difficult. However that wasn’t the biggest concern really. Neither of them were particularly nurturing. At least not in the conventional way. They’d certainly learn a great deal about themselves as they went through years of treatment. Seeking out muggle therapy had been a tad bit unconventional but the circumstances called for it. The alternatives were non-existent in the wizarding world. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re doing this because we want to and because we deserve to be happy,” Sirius states without hesitation. It was something they often heard in therapy and he had never considered for himself before. To deserve to be happy. And more than he, Severus needed to hear it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s still Harry to take care of,” Severus whispers back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry? For Merlin’s sake, he’s a man now. With his own family! That ship has long sailed, Sev. You’ll have to come up with a better excuse.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus lets out a sigh, “I suppose you’re right.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The boy’s doin alright anyway. We did our best to protect him, he’s alive and happy, and I can tell he’s sick of us hovering over him.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, alright. You’ve made your point...There’s just so much he’s been through.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. We all have and things are different now...we’re doing alright.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just...I don’t want to get too comfortable. What if-” His voice trails off. His mind once more hooked by some vision of doom. Of calamity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, none of that,” Sirius whispers. He combs his fingers through Severus’ hair. Hoping to pull him back. He feels Severus melt into his touch and in the darkness Sirius presses his lips against his. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’d visited the grave site earlier that day, as was the custom. Snape wasn’t there, he hadn’t thought much of it. It’s not as if he really needed him there anyway, Sirius tried to convince himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The war was over, he thought maybe he’d be at peace once everything had settled. Once those who had killed Lily and James had been put to justice. Yet with every passing year things seem to spiral even more out of control. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was soaking in his tub. The bastard didn’t even bother to show up that night. Maybe it was time Sirius put an end to this charade of a relationship. Being around Snape just made things worse, just reminded him of how meaningless their lives were now that there was nothing left to avenge. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He chugged the vintage wine straight from the bottle. He’d pulled it up from the cellar just for this occasion. He was going to get pissed tonight. Not that, that was any different from any other night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius submerged his head into the bathwater. The empty bottle floated above his chest. He felt like he could relax down there under the surface. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could just stay down there, forever. No one would really notice...or...care…</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Harry would. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He shut his eyes tight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cool air pricked at his face, he took a gasping breath. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Damn it. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He woke up the next morning, the weight of an owl resting on his shoulder. He let out a groan and took the letter from its beak. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bird continued to sit there, looking down on him. It’s eyes wide and haunting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get off!” He shook against it until it flew off back to where it came from. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opened the letter. It was from McGonagall. Snape was in the hospital. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was comatose. They said he’d be like this for a while. There was a chance he might not wake up. Sirius sat next to him and waited. Only Harry and McGonagall had bothered to visit. Harry didn’t ask Sirius why he’d been there. The look on Sirius’ face might’ve said it all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How’d you know to contact me?” Sirius asked the headmistress that first night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He left behind a letter…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius looked up at her, wearily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was addressed to you.” She pulled it from her pocket and handed it over to Sirius. He felt like throwing up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Sirius hid the envelope away in his jacket. He’d find the courage to read it months later. As they both sat across from a muggle woman. She didn’t possess any magical abilities as far as they could tell yet at times it felt like she could peer into their minds. She made Sirius say all the things he’d been too afraid to say. To feel all the things he was too afraid to feel. Severus had a harder time with it. He’d resisted, put up his walls. They continued to attend, until she’d managed to chip it away little by little. Sometimes they’d see her together but most of the time they had to visit her alone, to work on things. Things from each of their pasts.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first breakthrough was when Sirius brought in the letter. Severus hadn’t known he’d found it and kept it. When he read it aloud, that must have been the first time he ever saw Severus weep. He cried too. It had never bothered him to express how he was feeling, it’s just that he had only felt anger for so very long. He could finally feel something more and it hurt so very deeply. He knew Severus was hurting just the same. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She helped him realize how his anger had driven a wedge between himself and the only man he felt connected to anymore. She’d told him that hating himself for it would do nothing to repair any of it. They both had to take responsibility for their own actions now, their wellbeing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Severus presses into Sirius’ kiss. It is pleading yet gentle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They break away, and Sirius rests his forehead against Severus’. They breathe each other’s air. Sirius’ fingers are still carded through Severus’ hair as he says, “I have no doubt in my mind you would make an excellent father.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus leans in for another kiss, he pulls back and tucks a loose curl behind Sirius’ ear, “You wouldn’t be so bad either.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius pulls back with a mock scoff, “Not so bad, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus chuckles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m certain that’s as close to a compliment I’ll ever get from you,” Sirius snickers.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, really? Not counting all the times I’ve called you a good boy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! It doesn’t count when I’m Padfoot,” Sirius pokes at Severus’ side, knowing that it’ll cause him to jerk and wiggle. Severus tries and fails to push Sirius’ hand away but now he’s started to laugh and shout for Sirius to stop it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, Severus grabs a hold of Sirius’ wrists. He easily pins his hands above his head and straddles him. Sirius lets out a wanton moan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looks like I got you all roused up,” Sirius teases. He presses his hips up so that Severus could feel his erection. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was this all part of the plan?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, maybe.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus hums his approval. He leans down and their kiss is hotter, deeper. Severus moves in rhythm with Sirius’ hips as they grind against each other slowly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus begins to kiss down Sirius’ jaw and down to his neck, biting and sucking where he can. His lips travel up to Sirius’ ear and he nibbles at his earlobe. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius exhales, his body tingling with the heady sensation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus’ breath causes the hair on his neck to rise, “When I’m with you, I’m not so afraid,” he whispers.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The words fill Sirius up, they fill him up more than he’s ever been filled. His cup overflowing with love.  There is no doubt that together they are enough, they are stronger now.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Note: This fic has depictions of abusive/power and control dynamics in a relationship. Fanfic is a great place to explore these dynamics without anyone getting hurt. If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship and needs help please check out www.thehotline.org/</p></blockquote></div></div>
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